Why Your Worldview Matters

Although the subject of worldview has become a hot topic among Christians, there are many in the church who still don’t understand what a worldview is and why it matters. At best, it can often seem like an entirely theoretical topic with little bearing on the practical realm. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

What is a Worldview?

A worldview is simply a framework of beliefs we use to interpret the world around us. Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, in their book How Now Shall We Live?, write that any worldview addresses three issues: Creation, Fall, and Redemption. In other words, they say, a worldview answers these fundamental questions:

Where did we come from, and who are we?

What has gone wrong with the world?

What can we do to fix it?

It’s easy to see that different worldviews will answer these questions in very different ways. Christianity teaches that sin is the problem in our world. Marxism, on the other hand, teaches that private property is the problem. While the first two questions above are largely philosophical in nature, they lay the foundation for the third question which is intensely practical.

The Impact of Worldview

Worldviews aren’t simply theoretical constructs that have no impact on the world around us. Hitler had a worldview and used it to wreak havoc on the world and exterminate millions of people for no better reason than their ethnicity. William Wilberforce had a different worldview and used it to stop the slave trade in England and put an end to untold human suffering. These two men—with their different worldviews and world-changing legacies—show us that when worldviews are put into action, they can either do great harm or tremendous good.

Why Your Worldview Matters

It’s easy to see why the worldviews of leaders and influencers—whether in business, politics, the arts, or education—matters intensely. These individuals wield enormous influence over the culture and impact the destinies of men and nations.

But what about you and me? Most of us don’t hold the fate of the world in our hands. Why does our worldview matter? Let’s look at a few reasons.

Because You Can Vote. In a representative republic like ours, we have the freedom to help decide who governs us. An understanding of a Biblical worldview will help us understand the proper role of government, which will help us stand up for these principles at the ballot box. If the worldviews of our leaders matter, our worldview also matters.

Because We’re Raising the Next Generation. I don’t know what my children will grow up to be. Perhaps one will be a future president or Supreme Court justice. Perhaps one will become an extraordinarily successful entrepreneur. Perhaps one will write books or make movies that will influence millions. If so, I want them to have a Biblical worldview, and it’s up to me to teach them. But even if they grow up to occupy quietly ordinary roles, it’s important for them to have a Biblical worldview because they’ll still have some level of influence on those around them.

Because We’re Supposed to Live Out Our Faith. If we believe that Christianity is separate from the practical realm—in other words, that some things are sacred and other things are secular—we’re not going to successfully live out our faith on a daily basis. Implementing a Biblical worldview essentially means bringing our faith into our daily lives in every area—from family life, to finances, to the workplace, and so on.

The Bottom Line

Our worldview matters because, as the saying goes, ideas have consequences. If they didn’t, it wouldn’t matter what we believed or what worldview we held. But if we really want to live out our faith on a consistent basis, we need to understand a Biblical worldview.

The balanced Christian life consists of both a personal relationship with a personal God and a proper understanding of how His truth impacts everything in our lives. Having a Biblical worldview is an indispensable part of that equation.

This blog post was originally published by the Illinois Family Institute.